In an example of this type of apparatus (see Patent Document 1), a resist liquid supply port is provided in both lengthwise direction end portions of a slit nozzle having a slit-shaped opening, and an air venting hole is provided in a manifold for storing the resist liquid temporarily in a higher position than the resist liquid supply port. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the resist liquid is supplied to the manifold from the supply port and ejected through the slit-shaped opening while air bubbles intermixed into the resist liquid are discharged through the air venting hole.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005-144376
Incidentally, in the apparatus described in Patent Document 1, the resist liquid is transmitted from the manifold to the slit-shaped opening through a connecting passage that has a similarly shaped cross-section to the slit-shaped opening and connects the manifold to the opening. Although it is possible with the apparatus described in Patent Document 1 to prevent air bubbles intermixed into the resist liquid from traveling through the manifold toward the connecting passage, air bubbles may intermix with the resist liquid as the resist liquid flows into the connecting passage from the manifold.
By ejecting the resist liquid through the slit-shaped opening in advance before the resist liquid is applied, the air bubbles may be discharged together with the resist liquid, but in this case, an extra process is required and the resist liquid is consumed wastefully.